Accomplished Goals and BIG Thank yous for my Jimmy Fund Walk fundraiser partners!

I participated in an Ambassador Activation on behalf of Influence Central for the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

At the beginning of July I posted a big announcement on the blog - I am participating as a virtual walker for the Jimmy Fund Walk, a cancer research fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund Clinic and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. I was chosen as a blogger ambassador for the event and I had a big personal story to share about why I wanted to participate too. 

My dad battled GIST (gastro-intestinal stromal tumor) for 9 years. He received a big part of his treatment from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and I visited the clinic with him while I was in high school. I met with his oncologists, surgeon and the care specialists that he had come to know very well. He traveled from Seattle to Boston 3 times during an 8 week period for over 2 years to receive care.

The Jimmy Fund Walk has raised over $100 million in support of the mission to help find cures for cancer in children and adults. Both the Jimmy Fund Clinic and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are leaders in their field for research; and I couldn't think of a better place to send my support to. You see, my dad owed huge thanks to cancer research and clinical trials for prolonging his life in his fight against cancer. He took a risk and joined clinical trials when traditional care was no longer an option. His participation in clinical trials led to FDA approval of the cancer fighting drug, GLEEVEC.

Today I'm proud to announce that through The Pierogie Mama, I have raised $541 in support of cancer research! My initial goal was to raise $500 and that was quickly reached by the help of friends and several very awesome Pierogie Mama sponsors! Today I'd love to highlight those sponsors so that you can be sure to check them out too!

Over the last month I've shared three very special stories with you on why supporting cancer research is important. If you've missed out, here's a recap:

Candice shares her story on A 911 call receiver's reason to support cancer research. Candice is also the owner of Comfort Chickens Homestead, where she pours her own All-American Soy candles that are inspired by the simple and heartwarming smells of home. Her candles are by far my favorite because they smell true and her commitment to using non-gmo soy and the highest quality materials possible. 

Theresa was the glue, an anchor and the matriarch to Sheila's family. The memory and of her beloved grandmother is why Sheila wrote about the importance of cancer research, because she doesn't want anyone else's family to be robbed of their loved ones by cancer either. Sheila and her husband are the owners of the new Just Between Friends Marysville/ Mt. Vernon children's consignment event. I am excited to share about this event in the coming weeks! 

As a health care professional, Eunice has seen many practical applications for seeking alternative medicines to help with the side effects of traditional cancer treatments. When her father-in-law, Diony, was diagnosed with a very serious and aggressive prognosis of liver cancer, he was encouraged to research the benefits of Chinese herbal medicine and naturopathic treatments. "The simple act of helping him feel better emotionally and physically through these treatments gave him the hope and strength to continue on," and through these additional treatments he survived an additional two and a half years. Eunice is the owner of Just Between Friends Everett/Monroe, a longtime partner of The Pierogie Mama and you'll find more info on her upcoming fall sale in a few days.

Three of the Just Between Friends Sales in my local area committed to partnering with me in my goal to fund raise for this special event. Just Between Friends is a nation wide consignment event for children and maternity and I have shopped at each of these events for the last three years! I can't even begin to tell you how much money I have saved on my children's clothes and toys. In the last year I've also started to consign our unused items and I have made over $1,000 in CASH. There is literally no easier way to make money back on your children's items and to save on the new sizes each season. I encourage you to check out Just Between Friends of Everett/Monroe, Just Between Friends of Lynnwood and the BRAND NEW Just Between Friends of Marysville/Mount Vernon!

Create with Coco

Based in Bellingham, Washington, Create with Coco offers handmade designs to accessorize your home and lifestyle. All pieces are original designs, and many are one-of-a kind works featuring vintage accents or precious stones. Each piece is lovingly handmade by owner and designer, Courtney, "Coco", who blends colors and textures to achieve a unique modern bohemian aesthetic. Courtney wanted to honor the memory of her grandfather, Eldon, who battled esophagael cancer and taught her the strength and honesty throughout his fight.  Follow Create with Coco to keep up with her adventures and beautiful pieces!

Grow With Me Boutique, Monroe WA: My favorite local mama and baby boutique and consignment store has partnered with The Pierogie Mama again! We've worked together in spreading the word on cloth diapers and helping set a World Record in this past year and I've been blessed to get to work intimately with Janae's awesome business. In addition to finding some of the most darling children's outfits (my favorite has been the very dapper suspender and bowtie set that I got for my nephew), I love that I'm able to get awesome mama styles for very fair prices. If you're in Snohomish County, check out my upcoming Cloth Diaper Basics + Fluffy Meet Up at Grow With Me Boutique in Monroe, WA!

Finally, a very special thank you to the friends and family who have also contributed to this very important fund. I've been touched by the stories that everyone has shared with me about their loved ones who are battling or have battled cancer.

There's still time to donate 

to meet the new goal of $750 towards cancer research! 

 You can help me reach my goal by donating on my personal fundraising page and if you have a story like mine, you can sign up to walk too! Virtual walkers are free, but if you are in the Boston area and want to physically walk on September 27 - use the discount code BLOG to get $5 off your registration.

Why Is Supporting Cancer Research Important to Me? Eunice's Story

At the start of July I made the commitment to raise $500 to benefit cancer research through the Jimmy Fund Walk and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In less than 5 weeks I had exceeded my goal and am now on the way to raise an additional $250 (bringing the total goal up to $750)! Fundraising for Jimmy Fund Walk has been a personal journey as my own dad was treated for cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and I'm honored when a few of my friends stepped up to share their story on why supporting cancer research is important to them. Today I am honored to welcome Eunice as she shares about her relationship with her father-in-law and the alternative treatments that he explored, just like my dad did. Eunice is the owner of Just Between Friends of Everett/Monroe, a local consignment event for kids and maternity - keep an eye out in the coming weeks for an announcement for their upcoming fall sale! We are still looking for donations to reach our new and improved goal - 

please consider pledging $5 or more! Donate here. 

My life was touched by cancer through my father-in-law, Diony V. Corsilles. I was fortunate enough to know him fairly early in my life - when I was 18 years old when my husband and I were freshman in college and just started dating. He was a very compassionate man who had spent his life advocating for the rights of others through his work for the state and I was immediately embraced by him. He eventually became a father to me as well as our relationship grew.

My father-in-law was initially diagnosed with liver cancer while my husband was studying to become a Naturopathic Physician at Bastyr University. Although he had surgery to remove the cancerous portions of his liver, the cancer returned shortly after and then spread throughout his body. His Oncologist gave him only a 2-3 months prognosis with no real treatment options except for pain medications to help with his comfort as the cancer progressed. During his studies, my husband learned about the benefits of natural medicine and encouraged my father-in-law to apply these treatment options to his treatment plan.

My father-in-law sought additional care from a Chinese Medicine Doctor and a Naturopathic Physician. He drank soups made from Chinese herbs, freshly juiced organic fruits and vegetables daily to support his liver and immune system, and took supplements which slowed his cancer progression and relieved his pain from it. The simple act of helping him feel better emotionally and physically through these treatments gave him the hope and strength to continue on. Because of these "non-traditional" forms of treatment, his life was extended for another two and a half years compared to the 2-3 month prognosis he was originally given. This allowed our family the much valued time to spend with him before his passing almost exactly 14 years ago (August 21, 2001) and helped us all find closure.

In addition to my work with families through Just Between Friends of Everett/Monroe, I work in the healthcare industry as a Physical Therapist and have worked with many cancer patients to regain their strength to return home after receiving treatment in the hospital. The traditional cancer treatments of radiation and chemotherapy are so hard on patients and many suffer more from the side effects of the treatments than from the actual cancer. I can see a practical application of natural/holistic cancer care for patients and the need for more research in this area. Many of my patients have shared their stories with me over the years and I feel it's important for me to continue to share these inspiring stories to bring hope and healing to others as well as support cancer research to prevent other families from having to go through this unfortunate process. There is so much fear around the topic of cancer and the more we can share and learn, the less fearful and uncertain this disease will be.

A couple times a year you'll find Eunice heading up my favorite shopping events - Just Between Friends! With event locations in both Everett and my town of Monroe, you can shop for everything under the sun for birth through teens and maternity for mama. The Pierogie Mama + JBF Everett/Monroe are like peanut butter and jelly, so keep an eye out in a couple weeks for a pre-sale passes and JBF bucks giveaway! In the meantime, get to know Eunice a bit better by reading my 

JBF Everett/Monroe owner interview.

Preparing your home for BTS with Walmart

Many thanks to Kimberly Clark for sponsoring today's story! 

Check out all of the great Back to School deals you can find at Walmart!

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August is half way done and the back to school buzz is already in over drive. Many of Penny's friends are starting their first year of preschool and while we opted to wait a year, the excitement is in full force. It's what all the moms are talking about!

Even though we won't be headed to class in September, we are preparing our home for that fresh season of BTS. We will still be seeing our friends at home or at play dates, so why not take advantage of the great home, office and craft deals at Walmart?!

So a couple things that we made sure to pick up:

Kleenex: Any teacher will tell you that back to school time means the yucks are going to be passed around quickly and mercilessly. I like to keep a few extra boxes (with a friendly sanitizer bottle right next to it) tucked in the bathroom, on a end table and in the bedrooms just in case when company comes.

After school snacks: anything ranging from the nostalgic fresh apples with peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies, ants on a log, string cheese to the very versatile tortilla roll ups with your choice of hummus, PBJ, just J or salami and cheese.

Prep-ahead meals: I know, but you're so busy with Back To School shopping, so how can you possibly think to actually prep ahead your meals? For starters, it's awesome that Walmart is one-stop-shop for ALL the BTS necessities, so you'll be saving loads of time right there. Later, when you're planning ahead on meals for the week, double the recipe and immediately prep one portion to go into the freezer. There, see? You've already saved even more time.

Toilet paper: Yup, it's a necessity. So just stock up on Scott Extra Soft Double Bath Tissue and take advantage of double Box Tops for Education. That's what I got!

Crafts: I tried to think ahead for all the crafts and coloring that we'd be doing this year so I picked up a ton of Crayola products, Dry Erase, Frozen note books and water coloring trays.

Bonus: Walmart has tons of products that include Box Tops for Education coupons (some are even double points!), which helps give back to our local schools. It makes sense to start supporting them early, since Penny will be in school next year.

That's how I prepped for Back To School like a boss...even though we won't actually be going back to school!

What are your must-have Back To School essentials?

Making your zoo visit count

Help me thank a new blog sponsor by clicking here 

and see how easy back to school shopping will be!
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Today I'm welcoming Megan, my long time friend and my personal go-to when it comes to questions about conversationalism and ocean animals! One of my favorite things to see on my facebook feed was when Megan was working with a stranding group and she'd share about what she's working on...mostly with processing stranded whales or seals, but there's always a ton to be learned about what these animals leave behind. What I'm saying is - for the last several years I've been bouncing around in my head about how I can turn fun zoo and aquarium trips into educational experiences for myself and the kids; rather than a sideline show where they ooh and ahh at an animal and quickly move on to the next, not really comprehending that this animal that they saw was actually very special and rare. I talked to Megan about this and she was gracious enough to write up a post about it and share her thoughts as a professional in the field! 

Zoos and aquariums are a catch-22 for me. On the one hand, they provide the general public access to animals they would otherwise probably never encounter and can serve as an educational tool for conservation efforts of their wild counterparts. They can also be a last resort to prevent a species from going entirely extinct due to habitat destruction, poaching, climate change, etc. But how many times have you been to the zoo and actually taken the time to read and learn about the animals there or attend one of the zookeeper talks? I know there are people out there who do because I am one of those people but too often I see people simply wandering around from exhibit to exhibit, glancing at the animals but not really putting in the effort to learn or engage their children to learn. This is where part of my issue with them lies. Admittedly, it is not really an issue with the zoos themselves but with the people visiting; however I also feel it falls on zoo staff/volunteers to create engaging learning environments so that more people will want to learn. Here are some of my tips for making your trip to the zoo fun, educational and an act of conservationalism:

• Stop and read the postings at each exhibit to learn about the animals and their natural habitats.
• Take the time to attend talks by zookeepers and don’t be embarrassed to ask questions!
• If you are a frequent zoo-goer, have each visit focus on a certain area and spend time before and after your trip learning about each area and its wild inhabitants. 

My other issue with captivity is just that—captivity. While most captive animals these days were born that way and would therefore not survive in the wild, I can’t help but feel that they deserve bigger and more natural habitats, much like what a sanctuary provides. Besides, isn’t the point of checking out a polar bear at the zoo to see how it would naturally behave in the Arctic, something most of us will never get to experience? I’m all for going to zoos/aquariums (in fact, I LOVE going!) but I would encourage everyone to slow down, take your time and turn something fun for the kids into a learning experience for all. 

How do you turn a zoo or aquarium visit 

into an educational experience for yourself or your kids?
Check out The Pierogie Mama's zoo bucket list!

A little about Megan: I'm currently a stay at home mama to an almost 9-month old little man named Declan. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in marine biology at Hawaii Pacific University, where I focused on marine mammalogy. After graduating and moving back to Washington, I worked for a marine mammal research organization, doing photo identification work and stranding response. I currently live in central North Carolina but hope to make it back to the coast so I can work in my field again. You may remember me from my Shark Week posts on The Pierogie Mama's facebook page. 

Why Supporting Cancer Research is Important to Me? Candice's Story

Over the last month I've been a journey to raise $500 before September 27th to benefit cancer research through the Jimmy Fund Walk and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Last week I was honored to announce that I had exceeded my goal of fundraising $500 and am now on the way to raise an additional $250 (bringing the total goal up to $750)! Today I am honored to welcome Candice as she shares why supporting cancer research is important to her. She is one of the most sincere women than I know and is a fellow chicken mama like I am! In fact, I'd call her my chicken godmother because she taught me so much about backyard chickens. She is also the owner of Comfort Chickens Homestead, where you can find handmade American soy candles that are the best smelling candles I have ever had! Candice and Comfort Chickens Homestead has partnered with my goal and today we are sharing her story about why supporting cancer research is important to her. 

We are still looking for donations to reach our new and improved goal -
please consider pledging $5 or more! Donate here. 
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"911"

"Yes, I have an emergency!"

Many people don't know this, but I work as a 911 call receiver. On any given day, I take calls from a multitude of people that never expected to have to call for emergency help. They were just going about their day, when suddenly unexpected tragedy strikes.

In the same way, many people don't expect to be relying on cancer research. They never planned to get cancer, and yet they do, and it turns their whole world upside down. When this happens, having people working on finding a cure is the best emergency help they could receive.

I am constantly amazed at how many people cancer affects. It knows no bias or limitation, it holds no prejudice. Man, woman, or child, it does not matter. A couple I went to high school with have a four year old daughter who is currently battling stage 4 neuroblastoma. At four years old she should be having fun, playing with her siblings, and living care free. Instead, she is battling the disease that wants to take her life. This is her reality.

Reality also has another side to it. The reality is there are great people out there working intensely to find a cure for cancer. They are working non-stop to put an end to this horrible disease, and to give people their lives back. But they can't do it without our help. Cancer research requires funding, and that's where you and I come in. While we may not have the knowhow for lab research, we can certainly support them by funding their important work. No amount is too small, and every bit makes a difference.

When people call 911 with a medical emergency, we have to ask about their medical problems and history. It shocks me how many people say cancer. This disease takes root in whoever it can, and no one is off limits. Before I was a 911 call receiver, I worked as a fire safety service technician servicing fire extinguishers and hood systems. One of the ladies in our office was diagnosed with cancer, and within a few months had been taken from us by it. It happened so quickly it almost didn't seem real. But it was.

What also is real is that with funding, researchers are able to continue finding cures and treatments for cancer. They are able to help so many that come to them in desperate need of help. Their work helps families be able to keep their loved ones, friends keep their friends, and the list goes on. With our help, they can continue their valuable work and put an end to cancer. We can fight this together, and win big together. The point is, we are in this together. Lets support one another and make cancer a thing of the past, TOGETHER!

A little about Candice: Inspired by God, country lifestyle, and chickens, I set to work in 2013 hand crafting my own candles.  After much testing, I finally found the perfect combination of wax, fragrance oils, and wicks! From there Comfort Chickens Homestead was born. And the rest is history! All Comfort Chickens Homestead candles are made from 100% soy wax, which  is a renewable resource and burns much cleaner. The soy wax used in CCH candles is made in the USA with crops grown from our very own farmers, is made with pure soybean oil (100% vegetable), is natural and biodegradable, and is GMO free!

Car Model Photo Frame Tutorial

I made this photo frame for my nephew's 4th birthday last week. It was very easy to make and ended up being a total hit! All it takes is a few items that can be easily found at home, your local thrift store or by asking friends who might be done with model toy cars (my local Buy Nothing Group is amazing for that!).

What you'll need:

Photo frame - it's best if the frame is as flat as possible to ensure easy contact points
Model cars
Hot glue gun and extra sticks.
Metallic spray paint

Directions:
1. Clean the photo frame of any dust or debris (like sticker residue). Remove the backing and glass from the picture frame. Do the same for the model cars. Make sure that everything is truly clean and dry before continuing.

2. Arrange your model cars along the picture frame so that you can get a good sense of how they are best arranged.
3. Turn on your hot glue gun and let it fully heat up.
4. Turn each car over and "lock up" the wheels with a couple dots of glue inside the wheel wells. You'll be using the tires as contact points for the frame and it'll add more stability if the wheels can't rotate. Allow them to set.
5. One car at a time, tack glue dots on each of the four wheels and gently press onto the picture frame where the car will set. Repeat for each of the cars until your frame is full!

6. Once the glue has completely set, gently test each car's connection by seeing it if will wiggle. If it does, tack on some extra glue at the contact points.
7. Clean up those hot glue strings! They will show up in the finished product!
8. In a well ventilated space, prepare your spray painting station. I went outside in our gravel driveway and used a piece of cardboard to angle the picture frame for best coverage without having to touch it.

9. Light coats work best. Give it a few minutes to dry between coats. I gave it a day to fully cure before I handled it to see which nooks and crannies I missed. Then spot spray as needed.
10. Add a fun photo and you're done!

This little boy was super excited and in love with his custom picture frame, filled with a photo of him and his cousins.

Visiting the Dallas Zoo

In May we took a week long family trip to Dallas as a piggyback on my husband's business travel. One of my favorite things to do with my daughters is visit the zoo, so I've made it a fun goal to visit different zoos across the country when the opportunity presents itself.

We actually ended up visiting the Dallas Zoo two days in a row. This was in part because of my sprained ankle that happened the day before our flight and because I spent most of first day in the Zoo North part of the park, only realizing at the very end that the Wilds of Africa part was worthy of an additional day as well. Luckily I have an annual membership at our local zoo which granted me discounted tickets to any AZA accredited zoo, so it was totally affordable to go twice!

It's kind of fun getting to seeing a different zoo that is across the country because animals behave differently based on the climate. Seattle is very temperate and you don't get a lot of extreme weather, but I'm sure that the warm climate creatures missing their natural sunshine. For the time we spent in Dallas it was in the mid 80's, fairly humid with scattered thunder showers. It was amusing to see what thunder showers mean to Texans versus what it means to a Washingtonian. In Western Washington we really don't get a whole lot of thunder storms. But when the thunder started rolling at the Dallas Zoo, I quickly saw the umbrellas and ponchos get broken out. Then it started to rain...and it was warm. Yes, the stereotype is mostly true, it rains a lot in Washington but a girl gets used to it. But warm rain, on a hot day, was actually nice! It was funny to notice that difference.

At the age of 3, Penny is really into dinosaurs. We even had a fairy-dinosaur joint birthday party for per and Ruby back in March. So imagine this girl's glee when we walk into the park and she spots something very peculiar on the ground..

Nope, we definitely don't have these in Seattle!

It was awesome witnessing her reaction to seeing "real" dinosaurs; as most of these were animatronic and fairly realistic, even to an adult.

She also had to make sure that each dinosaur was appropriately roared at.

Onward we went and discovered The Steam, which was a play area designed to look like a stream for children (and their parents) to cool off in. We spent a lot of time here, wading through the water, Penny jumping from different rock features and Ruby testing the waters as she toddled around.

But the part of the zoo that has me raving about is the Wilds of Africa portion. It was truly impressive because of the truly open layout of the savannah that momentarily takes you away from a zoo in Texas to actually seeing what it looks like in nature. As a matter of fact, this was the first exhibit in North America to combine elephants with zebras, giraffes, impalas, ostriches and guinea fowl in the same habitat!  

The Woodland Park Zoo recently transitioned their elephant herd to the Tulsa Zoo and it was incredibly surprising to see how many elephants the Dallas Zoo has; at one point I photographed 5 in the same picture.

Penny enjoyed the giraffe exhibit as well - the giraffe heads were at eye level with us so we were able to get pretty close to them. Sadly we just learned that the little baby in the herd died last week because of an injury.

Stay tuned for more of our adventures in Dallas, Texas!
Part 1: Getting there and staying at The Omni

Have you visited the Dallas Zoo? 

Tell me about your favorite exhibit!

Catch up on my other zoo trips across North America!

Why is Supporting Cancer Research Important to Me? Sheila's story

I'm on a journey to raise $500 before September 27th to benefit cancer research through the Jimmy Fund Walk and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Today I am honored to welcome Sheila, a good friend and new owner of Just Between Friends Marysville/Mount Vernon, a consignment sale event that is coming to Skagit County in Washington State! JBF Marysville/Mount Vernon has partnered with my goal and today we are sharing Sheila's story about why supporting cancer research is important to her. 

We are still looking for donations to reach our goal - please consider pledging $5 or more! Donate here. 

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As far back as I can remember, I've heard the scary 'C' word mentioned in hushed adult conversations among my family.  Another aunt, uncle, or cousin has been diagnosed with cancer.  Another aunt, uncle, or cousin is dying from cancer--another aunt, uncle, or cousin has died from cancer.  

I remember a hushed conversation my parents were having one night where my dad was crying.  I was eight then.  This time, it was my grandmother who was very sick and going through chemo for colon cancer.  That previous summer, I had visited her in South Carolina, and she had lost all of her thick, wavy hair and a ton of weight.  I didn't understand the side-effects of chemo at eight, nor the severity of the situation.   When I look back to that summer trip, it's so bittersweet.  We had built many great memories together and planned so many things for my next visit.  I left with a happy heart, eager to return to her.  Little did I know, the embrace she gave me at the airport would be the last one from her.  I wish I remembered it more.

Just a few, precious months later, in October of 1990, my grandmother passed from colon cancer.  She was only 60.  She was only our family's everything--our matriarch, our anchor--our glue that held us together. 

Cancer research is important to me because when I think of my grandmother, I can't help but to also think of how cancer robbed our family of her prematurely.  I can't help but to think of my father's tears that night...or of mine.  

I've recently discovered that a genetic mutation predisposing us to certain types of cancer exists in my family's genes.  What this means for myself, my children, or their children, I'm not sure yet.  I will pray for the best.  What I do know is that I am grateful for the men and women researching the scary 'C,' and I am hopeful that by the time my children are adults the scary 'C' will be a little less frightening.  

Sheila Palaruan and her husband, Bryan Palaruan, are the owners of the new Just Between Friends Marysville/ Mt. Vernon children's consignment event.  They met in 2002 while serving in the Navy onboard the aircraft carrier, USS J.C. Stennis.  He claims she hit on him.  It totally didn't happen. Together, they have two children, Luciana (3), and Josiah (1).  They also have too many pets to name, and are proud residents of the Sky Valley.